"The purpose of the painter
is simply to reproduce in
other minds the impression
which a scene has made upon
him. A work of art does not
appeal to the intellect. It
does not appeal to the moral
sense. Its aim is to
instruct, not to edify, but
to awaken an emotion." --
George Inness quote

George
Inness received no
formal education in art but
traveled many times to
Europe. While in France,
Italy and England he met
many influential painters
and gleaned a wealth of
knowledge which influenced
the style of his work.
According to his biographer,
Mary Schell Hoke Bacon,
"He was forty years old
before he got to Paris, but
once there, he turned to the
men at Barbizon--Rousseau,
Millet, Corot, and the
rest--for inspiration, and
began to do beautiful things
indeed. Rousseau became his
friend, and the art of
Inness grew large and rich
through such influences."

He is
best known for his later
works, landscapes influenced
by the ideas of Swedish
philosopher Emanuel
Swedenborg. The philosopher
wrote that "For the
spiritual sense of the Word
treats everywhere of the
spiritual world, that is, of
the state of the church in
the heavens, as well as in
the earth; hence the Word is
spiritual and Divine."

George
Inness's landscape paintings
changed from his more
realistic
Hudson River period to a
luscious and luminous style
with evocative atmospheric
effects featuring misty
backgrounds illuminated by
moonlight.

Description of the
Tonalist Painting
Style and Technique

American Tonalism is rooted in the French Barbizon
movement, which emphasized atmosphere and shadow. The Tonalist style
employs a distinctive technique by
the use of color's middle values as opposed to stronger contrast and
high chroma. Resulting in a understated and compelling overall effect.
The tonalist subject matter is never entirely apparent; their is no
effort to communicate a message or narrate a story. Instead of
relating a story, each sensitively chosen color, composition, and line
is arranged to create an intriguing visual poem.

The interiors of tonalist paintings are generally
elegant and sparsely decorated, tonally uniform, simplified and
indistinct; the figures are usually presented alone in silent
contemplation. Landscapes are typically luscious and luminous with evocative
atmospheric effects featuring misty backgrounds illuminated by
moonlight. Tonalists painters were drawn to both the natural and
spiritual realms. They sought to awaken the viewers consciousness by shrouding the
subject in a misty indistinct veil of emotionalism. The palette is minimal,
characterized by warm hues of brown, soft greens, gauzy yellows and muted grays. Preferred
themes were evocative moonlight nights and poetic, vaporous
landscapes. Tonalist painters seemed to favored unconscious states
and psychological experiences over reality.

If you feel you have worthwhile information you would like to
contribute we would love to hear from you. We collect essential
biographical information and artist quotes from folks all over
the globe and appreciate your participation. When submitting
please, if possible, site the source and provide English
translation. Email to